Automatic stamp moistener and affixer.



W. Z. BEAN.

AUTOMATIC STAMP MOISTENER AND AFFIXER.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 3, 1908.

940,497. 7 Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

2 SHEETSSHBET 1.

au wy W. Z. BEAN.

AUTOMATIC STAMP MOISTENER AND AFPIXER.

AlPLIOATION FILED JULY 3, 1908.

940,497, Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

2SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WfneMeA; fmkenl mz VVi'Uiam ZUBQQW BY m jinvented certain new ant wrLLrAia z. BEAN, or wns'r MEnroan, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC STAMP MOISTENER AND AFFIXEE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1999.

Application filed July s, 1908. serial No. 441,843.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known-that I, 'WILLIAM Z. BEAN, a citizen of the United States, and residing at V! hlediord, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of lviassachusetts, have 1 useful improvein Automatic Stamp Moisteners and rs, of which the following is a. full, and exact description.

object. or this iplention is hhe con- -t uction of animp'fved device for autoenatically sei'z'ing the topmost of a pile of stamps, or other gummed slips; nioistening the same, and then affixing it to the envelop or other desired surface.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 1s a sideelevation-ofthe-device, with a part thereof in section and one oi the side-frames removed.

l 1g. 2 is an end elevation of the device. Fig.

3 is av detail view of the parallel-motion mechanism. Fig. 4- is a perspective view from beneath of the stamp -,seizing and pressing means. Fig. 5 is a sectional side yiew or the stamp-moistening arrangement at one step of its operation. Fig. 6 is a similar view at another step in its operation." .l ig. 7 is a perspective view of the stampholder.

The device embodying my invention is mounted upon a suitable base 1,-and sub antially all the mechanism is located beeen and supported by. the side-frames 2; essential features of the same comprising the seizing, transporting and pressing means, and the moisten-111g device. The seizing means consists essentially of the so-called vacuumdip 3 adapted to be pressed down upon the-topmost, stamp and to cause the same to adhere theretoby atmospheric pressure. Thetia and stamp being then removed from tie pile 'of stamps, is carried past a moistening device 'by which the gumrried'faec of the stamp is wet, and thence to the envelop upon which it is pressed. The vacuum tip is thus transported by means of the oscillating arms 4 each of which is telescopic and the interior section 5 of which is rigid with the shaft 6. terminally supported icy the side-frames 2. The tubular section'sije are provided with antifriction rolls 7 traversing the slots '8: in the side-frames; and the terminations of said slots descend in substantially vertical branches 9 and 9 ided in said slots and branches, the the tubular arm-sections 4 are made to preserve a predetermined path as they are swung from one extreme to the other. Such predetermined path is at its terminals substantially vertical, especially where the tip 3 is to descend into the stamp container 10. for this purpose the slots 9 being formed with a slight curvature and increased inward inclination as compared with the branch-slots 9, shop a in Fig. 1. This inclination and curvature is needed in order that the outer ends of the arms shall not reach farther out when in a horizontal position than when in the inclined one shown in dotted lines. At thepoint where the tip descends to the envelop placed upon the plate 12, it is hardly so necessary for accuracy of vertical movement, the main consideration being that the tip shall he maintained in a perfectly horizontal position in order to press the stamp evenly on the envelop. To thus preserve a horizontal position of the seizing and affixing means at each extremity of the arms swing, said means is made rigid with a shaft 13 turning in the ends of the arms 4, and on one end of said shaft is fixed a spur gear 14 meshing with a segmental gear 15 turning on the pintle 7 as in Fig. 3. The tail 16 of this segment is provided'with an antifriction roll 17 enteringthe slot 18 in theside-frame 2 next thereto, while in line with said roll but at the opposite face: of said tail, is another projection or roll designed to engage the irregular arms 1.9 rigid withthe arm-section 5.

Near the ends of the slot 18ers the branches 20 rising therefrom as shown in Fig. l; and when the segment is brought to substantially the position shown in said figure by the oscillation of the arms 4, a small lug 24 on the tail l6 meets a tooth 22 projecting from the side-frame in such a manner that the continued lowering of the said arms and hence of the pintle or rolls 7, forces the extremity of said tail upward, With its roll or pin 17 enteringthe branch 20; At thesame time said pin or roll enters the recess iii-the fork 19 as shown in Fig. 3, as said tooth and lug disengage by the further depression of the arms 4. By the action of the segment 15 as its tail is thrown upward as above described, the gear 14 in mesh therewith is given a sufficient turn to bring the tip3 to a horizontal position, while the suhseqn-nt control of the segment by the ferric see the tip to maintain its .iorizontal po.s ti'oii the remainder of llt) to said arms.

' scoping will cause, thepin or roll. 17 to sink triangular its descent to the stamps at one side, or to l the only object in causing the moist pad tothe envelop at the other. \Vhen the arms rise, withdrawing the tip from the envelop or from the stamp-pile, the tooth 21 engages the lug 22 and brings the tail 16 into substantial parallelism with the arms 4, thereby turning the gear 14 and the tip 3 enough to make the face of the latter at right angles Inasmuch as the shaft 6 is eccentric with the slots 8, the center of curvature of the latter being located uite a distance below said shaft as at 23, t e passage of the pin tles or rolls 7 along said slots will make the arms 4 telescope on the arms 5 a consider- I able distance nearer said shaft. The forks 19 being fixed to the arms 5, while the segment is carried bythe arms-t, said telebetween the forks ,19 into the V between them. This servestojinsum the parallelism of "the axis of tip 3, and the arms 4 during the intermediate portion of said arms swing. t

The moistening ortion of the device is constructed as fol ows: Slidable between and on the tubular arm-sections 4 is the water receptacle 25 having a perforated shelf 26 at a distance from the upper edge of the container to accommodate the thick block of felt 27. To raise this receptacle and moistened felt block or pad into contact with the stampcarrie'd by the tip 3 during the intermediate portion of said tips journey, the receptacle is provided 'with a cam-surface 28 fixed beneath it, as shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6; and the shaft 6, with a tumbler 30 mounted loosely thereon. V hen the arms 4 are swung toward the stampbox 10, as in Fig. 5, said cam surface 28 comes against the cross-bar 31 of the tumbler and turns'the latter until its cross-bar 32 meets the screw-head 33. The tumblerbeing now unable to turn farther, the cam surface mounts up the crossbar 31 and thereby elevates the receptacle until its felt pad touches the edges of the tip 3. As the arms 4 continue in their movement toward the left until the apex of the cam surface passes the cross-bar 31, the tumbler is turned thereby with its cross-bar 34 approaching the screw-head 35; such movement being imparted thereto by the down ward pull given both by gravity and the two vcoiled springs '36 (Fig. 2). These springs pass freely through suitable openings formed transversely in the shaft (3, and are anchored at their lower ends to elbows rigid with said shaft. This downward movement of the receptacle brings it and its pad far enough away from'the tip 3 to allow of the latter's being turned to its horizontal position as the stan'ip-box is reached.

During this left-hand swing of the arms 4, t

l vertically in order to permit the tumbler 30 there is no stamp clinging to the tip 3, and

Mode? touch the tips edges is to give the latter at better vacuum hold upbn the stamps than would be the case were the tip dry when pressed thereon.

When the arms 4 are s ung in the oppm site direction, following the tips seizure o a stamp, the cam-surface and the. tumbler! act in the same manner as before, with the exception that the screw-head or stop 35 1s s'HiliClGl'ltly higher than the stop or screwhead 33 to hold-the cross-bar 31 substantially higher than before, inasmuch as the tumbler cannot turn so far as before, and said cross bar is more nearly directly above the shaft- 6.

This of eourse insures that the receptacle. '25 1s pressed much farther than before;

enough-so to compress the rubber tip and allow the moist pad to press the stamp against both said tip and the rectangular frame 40 which surrounds said tip; this frame being preferably of substantially equal size and proportions to the outlines of the stamps most often used. This therefore moistens the stamps near their edges as well as elsewhere and so insures their bett er adhesion to the envelop to which they are applied. Normally said frame 10 is held far enough from the edges of the ti 3 to lgern'iit the latter to be suitably pressec upon the pile of stamps to get a secure vacuum grip upon the topmost one thereof. When the stamp is to,be affixed to the envelop,

however, it is necessary for the edges of the stain to'be pressed tl'iereagainst both in securing a proper adhesion, and also to keep rom being pulled away from the the stamp envelop upon the withdrawal of the tip. To do this, the frame 40 is made auto.- matically movable toward and from the shaft 13, and the preferable manner of doing this isby means of the cam-grooves 41 rigidly held by the arms 4, and the pins 42 entermg said grooves and connected with,

said frame. Flg. '1 shows in full lines said groovesand pins disposed for. depressing said frame to nearly its lowest extent relative to the edges of the tip 3; while the-dobiii ted lines show'saidcam-grooves disposed for raising theframe relative to the tip. Inasmuch as the gear 14 is rigid with said shaft, and said gear is given a' rotation of substantially ninety degrees during the swing-"of the arms 4:, while the cam pieces 41 are rigid with said arms, the travel ofthe pins 42 in said cam pieces gives to the frame 40' a substantial movement with respect to the edges of the tip 'or picker3;

For operating the device manuallyi the handle 45 is provided; the same being looselymounted on the shaft; 13 to allow it toretai an upright position throughout the anti! swing .o the arms 4. f

I prefer to have the stops 33, 35 adjustable on the inoistener he s tiiipetl, and a nioistening' pad adapted te for the latters to be brought into contact with the stamp it will be noted beingconveyed by said tip on its Way to said articles. v

The combination with a receiver for .s nps and he like, of a swinging frame, a stamp seizing device carried thereby, a Water receptacle slimn on said frame and provide-d with a in'oistening pad in its upper end, and means for moving said receptacle toward said stamp-seizing device.

(3. The combination with a receiver for stamps and the like, of a swinging frame, a

nun tip carried by the latter and adaptto be held throughout its travel with its face dmvnward, a inoistening pad movable ac tow (l and from the said tip, and means for said pad into bare contact with said i'aisn tip din gag the latters travel toward said receivcr and into a more forcible contact therewith during its opposite travel.

r" Fri 6. illt: combination of a terminally supported shaft, a frame rising therefrom, a stamp -seizing device carried by said frame,

I inoistener box slidable on said frame, a

, triangular carn fixed to the bottom of said eel; angnlar frame loosely mounted on t, and adjustable stops for limiting lay o said triangular frame, and means bringing the stamps and moistener into during; the intermediate portion of 9 incs swing. f combination with a swinging a shaft carried at the free end vacnuni tip rigid with said shaft, l 1" inc about the tip, pins eonl 'd lraine, groove-cams rigid aft and entered by said pins, ins .ior giving aid shaft a partial turn during the swing of said frame,

9. The combination. with side-frames, of swinging arms pfwotally held by said frame, ach arm consisting of two telescopic secions, grooves or slots in said side-frames ach nearly concentric with the pivot of said rins, each slot terminating in substantially ertical branches, a projection from each arnrsection entering one of said I nd a pivotally held member a the exes ef'said arms; said slot branches ieetions serving to give a vertial id member during the latter parts fcl arms swings.

combination with side frames, of ingii'zgarmspivotally held by said frames, each consisting of two telescopic sec- 0 aid frames having; two slots ric the pivots of said the extremities of me 'id. with such shaft,

on sale. shaft, a segmental 1 pi LO one of said arms in mesh 1 said and formed with a tail, a

a; 5 project-innit alineinent with the pivot pin nearly concentric with the pivots of said arms, a shaft carried in the extremities of the outermost arm-sections, a stamp-holding member rigid with said shaft, a spur gear fixed on sald shaft, a segmental gearpi'voted to one of said outer arm-sectioifi the same being in mesh with said gear and formed with a tail, a projection in alinement with the pivot pin of said segment entering the outer of said slots, and a projection from the tail entering the other of said slots; the

last named slot having an extension near each end thereof, and a lug near the conjunction of each said extension and main slot, and said tail having a projectionposia shaft carrie tioned to engage said lug at certain positions.

swinging arms ivotallyh'eld by said frames, at the outer extremities of said arms, a stamp-holding member rigid with said shaftffneans for insuring a horizontal position to said stamp-holding mem-fl her during the latter parts of said arms adapted to be reversed in terminal positions, a horizontal frame about the stamp-holding member, and means enga ing said cam causing the latter to verticali y shift said frame with respect to the said member.

12. The combination with sidetframes, of-

oscillations, a cam connected with said shaft 7 In testimony that I claim the fore oing invention, I have hereunto set my ban this 26 day of June, 1908.

WILLIAM Z. BEAN. Witnesses:

ARTHUR W. Jones, ERNEST A. FEssENoEN. 

